Space heater



Aug- 29, 1950 A. c. oRzNl-:R 2,520,830

SPACE HEATER Filed Dec. l, 1944 ram-L5 Patented Aug. 29', 1950 ,UNITED STATES 'PATENT l 'oFFlcap- SPACE HEATER Andrew C. Borzner, Philadelphia, Pa. l

Application December 1, 1944, serial No. 566,213 V heaters and a principal object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient, and relatively safe heater of this type.

To this general end the invention contemplates the use of infra-red lamps, of the types for example now widely used for heating and drying purposes, as a source of radiant energy from which the energy is concentrated upon extended heat absorbing surfaces arranged to function by convective process to transfer the heat to the ambient air.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the attached drawings wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a heater made in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the heater;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view corresponding to Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the heater with a portion of the casing broken away to show the interior assembly, and

1 claim. (ci. 219;s4)

Figure 5 is a View in perspective of one of the elements of the heater detached from the structure.

The heater illustrated in the drawings as an embodiment of the invention comprises an outer casing I of substantially rectangular form which is open at the bottom and which is provided at the top with a cover 2 having slots or louvers 3. As shown in Fig. 1, the front, and preferably also the rear, side of the casing I is recessed at the bottom, as indicated at 4, to afford free passage of air at oor level to the interior of the casing.

Adjacent the bottom and in the interior of the casing is an open frame 5 upon which are mounted sockets 6 for reception of the infra-red electric lamps 1 which, as previously stated, constitute the primary source of heating energy. The lamps 'I are arranged in a longitudinal series or bank extending the full length of the casing I.

Mounted above the lamps 'I is a frame 8 which is removably supported within the casing I by longitudinal angle brackets 9 on the front and rear Walls of the casing and corresponding brackets I0 on the end walls. Supported within this frame is a series of thin plates or fins I I, best shown in Fig. 3, these plates extending longitudinally of the frame in more or less upright planes and being exposed at the bottom to the radiant energy from the lamps 1. Preferably the plates I I are of the angular form shown in Fig. 3, the lower portions I2 of the plates being angularly offset from the upper portions I3 so that the individual plate assumes an l, shaped 55 configuration in transverse section. These-'angular plates are arranged in close proximity as illustrated so as to provide therebetween narrow channels through which air may pass upwardly from the bottom to the top of casing I. It will be apparent that the lower off-set portions I2 of the plates, extending at a relatively flat angle with respect to the horizontal, will be exposed directly to the concentrated energy from the lamps 'l and will be heated to high degree. Preferably the plates I I are of metal having high heat-conductivity, such for example, as aluminum, and the heat absorbed by the lower portions I2 of the plates will then be conducted rapidly to the upper portions I3 so that the entire extended area of the plate may constitute effective thermal transfer surface with respect to the air circulating upwardly through the casing.

It has been found that heat losses are avoided and eiciency generally increased by arranging the plates II as illustrated so that the upper as well as the lower portions are angularly disposed with respect to the axes of the several lamps which, in the present instance, are vertical. The angle and overlap of the lower portions I 2 of adjoining plates is such as to preclude direct exposure of the upper portions I3 to the infrared rays eminating from the source; and the angle and overlap of the upper portions I3 are such also that no vertical line intersecting the upper end of any of the spaces between adjoining plates will also intersect the space between the lower ends of the upper portions of the same plates. In the present instance the lower portions I2 form angles with the horizontal of approximately 30, while the upper portions I3 form angles of approximately 60, this angular disposition of the plates and the said upper and lower portions thereof having been found to afford excellent results from an efficiency standpoint.

It is apparent that a circulation of air will be set up by convection through the casing I from the bottom thereof to the top, with the relatively cool air entering the bottom of the casing and passing upwardly through the narrow channels between the plates II and being heated through contact with the heated surfaces of the plates. The heated air then passes outwardly at the top of the casing to the spacewithin which the heater is installed.

The use of the lamps 'l as a source of radiant energy in the manner set forth has material advantages over sources of other types. Such infrared sources are susceptible to accurate control and direction, and by means of suitable reflectors, either built into the lamp structure (as in the illustrated embodiment) or as a separate element, the energy of the lamp may be concentrated upon the heat-absorbing plate elements in a manner to reduce losses to a Very small percentage of the total energy. The heater as a wholefiis highly ecient and economical and is free from the hazards of exposed incandescent elements or flame.

The heater is also susceptible to the conventional controls, fsuch as manual, switches kand thermostats, affording manual and automatic regulation as required; and'since the lamps are capable of individual as well as joint control such regulation may be highly flexible.

I claim:

A` space heater comprising a source:of`-irii`-rzt red radiant energy and means .for directingV said energy in an approximately vertical path, a pluheat absorbing and conducting plates arranged inisaid path with-edgefportonsithereo presented 4 toward the source, said edge portions extending in planes angularly disposed with respect to said path so as to expose extended surface areas of the plates to said source and the portions of said 5 plates more remote to said source extending re- EEISERENQISSV CITED The following references are of record in the die of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 Number Name Date 505,812 'Fisher Mar. 19, 1929 v1,713,013. Wandless May 14, 1929 1,776,827 Barber Sept. 30, 1930 25201036 Di Filippo June 11, 1940 Gallup Sept. 16, 1941 

